The Animal Tamer
by pyro.grizzly.bear
Summary: I have always lived my life looking for my next adventure,so when the option to move came I jumped on it.I packed up and set a course to the most notoriously wet state. And so far things are a little odd sterious howls,sexy men coming out of forests,& most of all the strange dreams I have where I'm running with wolves& hearing them as if they are one mind of many voices.
1. Chapter 1

**This is another attempt at creating a Twilight story, but I have more faith in this one working out. My skills and determination to finish a story is stronger these days. I'll also be writing up a Pokemon story as well and the both of them I already have an idea of there it's going. This story already has several chapters written for it, I'll just be using them as a buffer and trying to post at least once ever week.**

 **For the Disclaimer, I only own my characters and ideas that aren't the original story's and all characters of the Twilight Saga belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

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The soft meows of my cat woke me up that morning. No doubt because he needed food, I'm sure. But this wasn't something I could give him at the moment. "You ate last night, I can't give you anymore. Not until we get to the new house." I told him, gathering him up in my arms and sitting up in the hotel bed. I was on a journey, though I wasn't quite sure that I was doing.

I had picked a place on the map and set out for it, following my heart. After making a few calls, I'd landed a job as a Vet Tech within one of the veterinarians around here, transferring from Louisiana to little Forks Washington.

"We have five more hours until we get there, and then you can eat to your heart's content." I promised, straddling the large black cat so I could force a tranquilizer pill into his mouth. I held on until I was sure he had swallowed it. He hated rides, not as much as he used to, but I preferred to have a little help in calming the poor ol' fella. He was somewhere between seven to ten years old, at least that's what the doctor's said. Having been outside most of his life and being a stray when he found me there really was no telling how old he was.

After gathering my things and packing them into the car, I put Bagheera's kennel in the front seat and I pointed my little Toyota creole northeasward and drove down the highway.

Every now and then I'd stop and pull out my camera to get a particular picture I thought would look nice. I had a photographer's eye and I was taking as much time as I saw fit to drive across the country. It's not exactly something I do all the time, despite my traveling habits.

By the time I drove through Forks I was exhausted. My drugged up cat was snoozing and I was desperate to get to my new home. I passed through Main Street quickly enough and I followed the streets farther out of town. My home was nestled between LaPush and Forks. It was in a neighborhood, but the neighbors were a mile in-between each other. My home was a quaint little home, small and built of bricks. There was a carport I planned to screen in and create a little outside sanctuary for my cat and a basement that held a medium sized room.

I parked beside the carport and immediately started to unload the important things first, Bagheera being among them. Before carrying him in, I peeked into his kennel and saw his wide eyes staring back at me. I grinned widely at him.

"It will be fine, you'll see!"

This was the first time I'd really live on my own. At the age of twenty-three, I'd packed up my belongings and took the long drive here. I'd worked hard to save my money and take my classes, though most of my General Ed I was still taking online. I planned to transfer to a nearby college eventually, even if it was a community college. It was cheaper than a university, after all.

Later that day I sat in the middle of the bare living room with my belongings surrounding me. I didn't have much boxes, but I crammed as much as I could in plastic bags and luggage bags. I didn't have any furniture, except for a lamp or two that made the drive, and I was okay with that. This was an adventure, this was the true starting fresh.

Opening Bagheer's kennel, I looked down at him with a grin. "Let's check out the house!

I had seen pictures of the home, but it was nothing compared to the real thing. It was a small house, not particularly too big, and most of it had wood floors. There was tile in the kitchen, dining area, and bathroom but that was about it. Inspecting the floors a little closer I found the wood wasn't at all real, but that was okay. I was in this for the long haul, this would be my new home for quite a while and I planned to fix it up the way I wanted.

There were four rooms, one of which I assumed was the master bedroom but to be honest it wasn't really bigger than the other two. Two of the rooms were to the right down the hall and the other was to the left on the same side as the bathroom. I opened the door at the end of the hall to find a large closet. Turning around, I passed the "Master Bedroom" to another door. I opened it and it revealed stairs down to the fourth room, a medium sized basement with wood flooring. Climbing out of the basement I closed the door behind me and walked back down the hall to where the kitchen and living room met the hallway. I was pleased to see there was a door that separated the rest of the house from the kitchen and dining area, with the laundry room on that side of the house as well. And even a door to separate the living room from the rest of the house too. Yes, this would work nicely.

It may be a tad too big for just me and my cat, but I wanted to make sure I had plenty of room for when friends visited or when family stopped by. And besides, I'd hopefully have a dog soon too, so there would be the three of us!

"What do you think, Boogie?" I asked the cat who was still sniffing around the living room, not even making it to the hall yet. "Think it's livable?" I teased before taking out my phone and letting both sets of parents and best friend know I'd arrived safely.

After I cleaned out the spider webs, placed blankets into the room beside the bathroom, and put my appliances in their new home in the kitchen, I observed the empty spaces in the cabinets and fridge and decided that I was very much out of food. I only had snack food I'd brought along and I was sick of both snacks and fast food, I wanted a home cooked meal.

I shut Bagheera out of the living room, walked out the front door that happened to be in the living room, and hopped into my car. I pointed my car to lead me out of the rural neighborhood and towards La Push, as it was actually a little closer than Forks was. Well, that and I really wanted to take a look at the reserve. I planned to be taking a lot of hikes through here and I knew someone that had a horse park I could come by and ride one of their horses out on the trails. I'd once interned over there, part of my reason why I grew to love it around here so much.

It'd been a few years now, I'd interned at Peachwood Stables as soon as I got out of high school for a good year before I came back and began to figure out my path in the world. I made note to visit them tomorrow, the sooner the better. I'd start work in three days on the following Monday.

The sun was setting as I walked into the store, but then again it was a cloudy day so it was darker than say if the sun was setting in my old town in Louisiana. I paced around the store, trying to remember the layout when I spied a familiar face. He was tall, but then again most people were taller than my five foot three feet, with blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Ironically going with the last name Clearwater. He had tanned skin and the bone structure of the Natives around here, but his features showed that he wasn't just pure Native American. He wore his usual boots, jeans, and button up shirt combination, like many of the men from here. Unlike the men of the Native American tribes, he had cut his hair short and as far as I could remember he always kept it like that.

"Troy, is that you?" I questioned, peering around a stand in the aisle.

"Mm?" His head jerked up and he stared at me in astonishment. "I-Iris? Is that you?"

I giggled at his shocked face, mouth agape in surprised. I strolled down the aisle until I was closer and removed my hands from the cart to place them into my back pockets. A pleasant smile was upon my face, but internally I was thrilled to see my old friend.

"It's been so long!" He said, coming around to envelope me into a hug to which I readily accepted. In all honesty, he was sexy but he was also very much off limits. If I remembered correctly, last I was here he was involved with someone, if that's what you would call it anyways. I remember someone once describing the relationship as fuck buddies. According to social media, they have now been an official item for a good couple of years and I was happy to hear that. Truly, I am! Though I'd be lying if I didn't admit that I wished I could have developed a relationship with him, beyond just friendship.

"What are you doing here?" He inquired with a look of curiousity.

I glanced around with a worried look on my face, as if doubting his sanity, "Well, I'm shopping of course!" My grin proved that I was just messing with him. I received a laugh in return.

"Well, no, not here in the store. I mean _here_." He gestured with his hands, implying the whole place in general.

"Yeah, I know. I'm just messin' with you." I laughed. "I moved here, bought a house a while back ago and I just got in today."

"Oh wow! You must be exhausted."

"You have no idea." I sighed, hunching my shoulders so I could lean into the cart that I'd grabbed with my hand at some point. "I was just gathering a few things for dinner tonight and then tomorrow I was going to head to Peachwood to say hello."

"That's a great plan." He agreed. "We'd all be happy to see you again and I know there's a certain horse who would be thrilled to see you as well."

I grinned, thinking of the shy little red Peruvian gelding I'd gentled. Thinking of him reminded me of one of my favorites, a large warmblood dressage horse. "Is Finn still there?" I asked. He had been beyond my level of experience, but I loved spoiling him. He was much too big for me to groom and Troy usually had to step in and do it for me.

"Nah, he went home a couple years ago."

"Did he ever stop spooking at his own shadow?" I snorted, remembering how much the giant beast spooked at _everything_.

"It took a while, but he's doing ten times better than he had when he arrived."

We went into more detail about all the horses that passed through as we shopped. He helped me with my groceries, even taking up pushing the cart despite my protests. We each paid for our groceries and he helped unload mine into my car. Soon we were saying goodbye and I was headed to my new home.

The following day I said my hellos to the Clearwaters and their horses and picked up some screens to work on the carport. I worked on it for most of the day and by nightfall I still wasn't done. It was going to take a while, probably a few weeks before it was finished. Especially since I would have even less time once I was working.

Later I made myself dinner and afterwards grabbed hot chocolate. I took it and a blanket so I could sit out on the front porch. I hooked Bagheera up in his harness and leash and let him sit next with me as I relaxed against the wall of the house.

That's when I heard them.

They were beautiful, if a little eerie. They were close, or so it seemed anyways. There had to be multiple wolves in the forest but I couldn't really tell with it echoing. Briefly I wondered if there was a sanctuary nearby and wondered if I had heard them years ago when I had interned.

Now that I thought about it, there was quite a bit going on in Washington while I was here, at least a lot of killings before I had left. Shivering, I clutched my blanket closer to myself.Since then I haven't heard anything in the news about the killings, but it went on for a while. I'd forgotten about it when I moved on with my life, but being back made me wonder if I should be investing in that dog now. Nothing made me feel more protected then a fierce hound and a gun.

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 **And that's where this chapter ends. I hope it wasn't too dull, as I know first chapters can be. Her meeting with her old friend was something that just popped up and demanded to be put in. I've had a few scenes I wasn't really planning to put in but went along with anyways. It's weird how it turns out like that lol.**


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks into my stay and I was in a routine with work and working on screening the carport in. It was hard work, but I was okay with that. I'd bought paint and searched the web for some furniture. I hadn't decided just what I wanted as far as furniture but I bought paints in warm colors. There were some blues and greens, but for the most part I wanted my house reflecting fall and warm colors. All my life I had lived in hot places and as much as I disliked it I also loved it. So while it was gray and dreary outside most of the time, my home would be warm and welcoming little haven.

There was nothing I loved more than decorating my house. I'd never had a home to call my own, I mean I had my parent's house and a room but never a house. So I spend the majority of my nights painting each room. I'd even spent some time looking up patterns and such to paint into my kitchen, whenever I decided what I wanted its theme to be.

My first day off was a Saturday just three weeks after I had arrived. I spent it by going to Peachwood and borrowing a horse for the day. My steed was Aspen, a lazy mare with soft orange tones to her coat. She was a light chestnut with a thick white stripe upon her forehead. We trailed through the forest, stopping when I saw it fit to snap a picture with my camera. I kept it in a well-padded bag just behind the saddle so that I could easily reach it and hopefully wouldn't break. I think I'd cry if it broke. No scratch that, I _know_ I would.

We were making our way down a well-worn path to the beach when suddenly Aspen grew antsy. She snorted, swishing her tail. Her ears swiveled all around trying to catch the sounds that only she could hear. I was never one to ignore an animal when they were nervous so I relaxed the reins even more and sat back to let her figure things out. Just then she stopped awkwardly on the decline and lifted her head, focus pointed on the forest. I felt her stamp her hind hoof.

"Easy girl. It's alright." I cooed, trying to ease her nerves. I know good and well this horse didn't spook easy. So if she was nervous then there obviously was something out there that gave her reason to, which also meant that perhaps we really shouldn't be here after all. _Maybe I should have stuck closer to the Peachwood trails_ , I thought with regret.

A howl lit up through the forest. A shiver went down my spine and it had nothing to do with the cold wind. The wildlife around us fell silent. More howls followed, closer this time. The leather creaked beneath me as Aspen began to shift with unease. She nibbled on the bit, I could hear her tossing her tongue on it and chomping on the metal. She wasn't going to sit quietly very long.

"Alright, alright. I'm listening." I told her softly, taking control of my own nerves so I could calm myself down. If I was going to calm a horse down I needed to be calm myself. "C'mon Aspen, let's walk forward." I begged, lightly nudging her with me heels and applying pressure to her sides with my legs. There was no easy way to turn around on the narrow trail so we had no choice but to go down to the beach. At least there she wouldn't be cornered on a narrow and steep hill.

A horse's instinct is always to flee, it's ingrained into their very being since the dawn of their time. And with the beach she should be able to see the danger even before me, instead of being caught off guard by the brush beneath us.

I kept her pace controlled, not letting her go into an all-out run like she would have preferred in her flight away from the wolves. I didn't want to encourage her fears and flighty senses either, I still wasn't experienced enough to control a flighty horse. "We're alright. It's just some wolves singing their songs." I assured. All the while I began to resent them, if she spooked at them then I couldn't ride any horse on the trails. She was supposed to be my solid horse I could ride even with my lack of experience. And when the hell did wolves appear here? Last I checked they were farther north! I made a mental note to look that up when I got home instead of brushing it off like I had that first night.

"They love to do that, you know. Sing. They call to their pack members to let them know what's up. Like where they are, or maybe challenging a neighboring pack, or even the song of a successful hunt."

I continued talking to her for a while, even after the songs had silenced. We made it back onto the cliffs on an unmarked trail, just walking. A few times I'd stopped to let her munch while I took a few snap shots of something the peaked my interest. It was when I was leading her along that I began to feel like I was being watched. It unnerved me, but for the sake of keeping Aspen calm I tried to ignore it.

I reached into a saddlebag and found my phone. I'd made a habit of checking it now and again, just in case someone needed me, but for rides on horseback I usually kept it on silent. I had a few from Charlie, my best friend. She was wanting to know how it was going. I knew she was probably busy with work and we had planned to skype later tonight so I decided I'd tell her about it then. But for now, I'd send her a short message.

 **'It's wonderful here. I hope you'll come and visit soon! It's strange though, wolves are always howling and I can't remember ever seeing something about wolves in LaPush, let alone in Washington.'**

I turned to the sea and took a quick picture of the beach I had been on just moments ago and sent it before returning it to the saddle bag.

"What do you say to go a little bit farther?" I asked the mare. It wasn't that late in the day, but we had missed lunch. I wasn't all that hungry and even if I was I had some snacks packed away. I reached forward to rub her forehead when a voice had me jumping right out of my skin.

"You're quite a ways off the trail, don't you think?" Aspen shied from the voice and danced in place.

"Easy girl, easy. Shh." I spoke, stroking her cheek. I sent a withering look to the man. "The hell, don't you _know_ not to sneak up on people?" I growled. I'm usually not so rude but I really don't like people sneaking up on me.

I sized him up. He was large and I couldn't really identify an age. I wasn't too great at that anyways, but if I had to guess I would say in his mid-twenties. He had the signature dark skin of a native of LaPush. The longer I stared, the more curious I was. My hands itched to grab my camera. The man before looked as if he had just jumped out of the forest, like he was _a part_ of it. And then a strange thing happened. For just a moment, I swore I saw a giant russet wolf standing there in his place. It was so fleeting that I really just thought it was my imagination. I watched as he put his hands up in a mock surrender.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you weren't lost up here. Visitors don't generally go this far off the trail."

My immediate irritation was gone and replacs with curiosity. And then as I realized he was _shirtless_ , well, it was a whole other story. My face flushed as I stared at the rolling muscles his russet skin covered. And the Abs. Oh, dear lord the abs.

"Uhmm.." I muttered, turning to Aspen. She was ever the great mount with her head lowered lazily and her ears flicking around. The whites of her eyes still showed, but other than that she looked to be her usual laid back self. "I- I guess I'd best, uhm, be getting back to that trail then, huh?" I stuttered. I was suddenly very aware that there was a half-naked man before me in the middle of an unmarked trail and I was completely unarmed. Well…I might have a knife in my bag that my dad had gotten me, but I barely knew how to use it. I'd have better luck kicking the snot out of him then trying to wield a knife.

I turned my side to him and jumped onto the mare, needing the extra boost to get my leg in the stirrup. I swear I'm not that short, I just have stubby legs and it happens that she's a taller quarter horse. Now that I sat on her, I shifted around and looked down at him. I felt much safer astride Aspen then on the ground here with the huge man standing intimidatingly over me. He had to be _at least_ seven foot and that in itself is terrifying. I'd never seen someone so tall!

But the man still wouldn't let me leave. As I went to turn the horse around, he reached out and caught a rein. Aspen snorted her opinion of him jerking the rein on her sensitive mouth.

"Where did you come from?" He asked.

"What's to ya?" I rudely asked, now done with the conversation and wanting to be away from the strange man.

"Well, you seem different from the other tourists that have come through." He shrugged.

The sigh that slipped out was similar to a huff as I glanced to the sea, as if trying to find some strength from the sea to keep me from snapping at him. I turned back to him with a hostile look, but for the most part my temper was cut in half. "I came from Louisiana. I just moved here a few weeks ago."

"Have you been here before?" He asked, he looked as if he were trying to place a familiar face.

"I used to intern at Peachwood Stables?" I wondered if he somehow knew me from there. I can't say I'd ever met such a large man before, surely he would have left an impression by height alone.

"Oh! Now I remember who you are, the Clearwaters used to talk about you all the time. I have a couple, uh, friends up there. One of which is really great with these beasts." He chuckled.

"They're horses." I sourly said, "Not beasts." Though I'd often jokingly called them beasts myself.

"Who're your friends? Maybe I've seen them." I admit, I was a little curious.

"Troy, Leah and Seth."

I looked up sharply at him. He was friend with Troy? The son of Chelsea Clearwater and John Clearwater? Leah and Seth were familiar names, I think they were his cousins? I'd never met them formally, maybe had seen them once or twice within that year. "You're friends with their son?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, we all go way back." He shrugged nonchalantly. "LaPush is a small reserve, you know. We all know everyone. You're Iris, right? Can't mistake that curly hair and pretty green eyes." His compliment made me unsure of what to do with myself. I fiddled with Aspen's double reins nervously.

Then it hit me. "Wait, they mentioned me?" I asked, afraid of what they might have said. I was definitely one of the clumsier interns.

He chuckled at my reaction. "Yes, they loved you. They were amazed at how well you worked with the horses despite your little experience with them."

"Well, not everyone is rich and lucky." I grumbled, my attitude turning south again. I disliked that part, it was a sore subject. I'd recently been around a lot of people that had horses and they all weren't as grateful as they should be. They were so lucky to have these creature. It's all I'd ever wanted when growing up, but I had suppressed it for the longest time. Growing up and pretending to like something else instead of following my passion for animals. After the internship, I'd changed my majors and became a vet technician. The internship was an important turn in my life and I would forever be thankful toward the Clearwaters.

I could feel him eying me carefully and I suddenly got the feeling it was time for me to be on my way. "Well, mister…"

"Jacob." He grinned cheekily.

"Mister Jacob. I should probably get back to the stables and put Aspen up for the day. Her nerves are shot with all those wolves howling. It's weird…I really don't remember it saying anywhere wolves resided in these forests." I was careful to look at him to gauge his reaction.

He didn't even flinch as he said, "Yeah, well, it's a new thing they started up not too long ago."

But as I turned Aspen towards the stables I decided not to mention that there had been howls my last visit here, frequently I might add, when I had interned. I'd never seen the wolves myself, but I had heard them and never paid them mind. If I remembered correctly, the Clearwaters never said anything about them or even elaborated more than them just "Passing through". I remember now, the more I had asked the less I heard the wolves. Eventually, I had stopped paying attention all together.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry it took me so long! I've been feeling a little under the weather (and pissed because this is my second year in a row getting tonsillitis after my seven year streak of _not_ getting it) I've finally adulted and got myself a doctor's appointment after taking medicine my step mom had...when I probably should have just gone to the doctor in the first place.

Anyway! I've good news, though! Well, good for me anyhow. I finally have internet at my step mom's again and so long as I don't get lazy or sick again, I can make sure you guys get a chapter a week.

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As the days passed I noticed a few things changing in myself, more so my dreams than anything. I've always been known to have some pretty crazy dreams. Usually the images weren't too important, it was the emotions within that would have me unsettled every time I woke up. But a couple dreams in particular were _really_ weird.

It wasn't too long after meeting Jacob that I'd had it. Seemingly as soon as I shut my eyes I was floating through my house. I _felt_ more than saw Bagheera snoozing in the dresser my step mom had sent me. It had a broken door to the cabinet above and bagheera took to sleeping inside of it curled up in blankets.

I drifted past my house, getting farther each night. I would not only see the deer, but sense them. _Hear_ them. Not too far away were the neighbor's dogs patrolling their territory. Someone had horses and their colts, two brothers, were challenging each other in a little sparring match.

And then the howls of the wolves were heard. At first I didn't go near them, but one night they had brushed my thoughts and that's all it took. I was there, running with them as I had the horse herds near my home. I could hear their heavy paws thumping in a soft rhythm on the forest floor. It went from one wolf to two wolves and then suddenly there was a pack. They growled at each other, some playful and others a warning. A bark here and a snarl there. I narrowed in on the black wolf, large and powerful but not nearly as commanding like that fleeting image of a russet wolf I'd seen that day when I looked at Jacob.

For a moment, I fancied that I heard his thoughts, if wolves even had thoughts.

" _Who are you?"_ It snarled. " _How are you doing this_?"

And just like that I was in his mind. I was in _everyone's_. I could hear the whole pack's voices, I could see memories and pictures of other wolves and people. Of red and golden eyed pale people. I knew there was another wolf pack nearby, but I didn't know how I knew that. Thinking it was a dream, I thumbed through the minds and dug deeper and deeper. Barely even conscious enough to realize that this might have been similar to mind raping. I was literally going through every bit of their thoughts without any respect for boundaries. Had I been myself and realized what I was doing, I would have be ashamed.

 _"Get the hell out of my head!"_ the beast snarled, letting out a roar of rage. A wolf face suddenly appeared, black as night with molten golden-brown eyes filled with rage.

Everything slammed shut and I felt more than heard the roar. It thundered through my body and I jolted awake in my bed. I looked around, still feeling the vibrations of the growl within my very being. In the distance, an angry howl could be heard.

"What…what was that?" I questioned. Bagheera sat wide eyed in the dresser open part of the dresser door, watching as I was breathed heavily. Suddenly I wanted nothing more than to take a hot shower and forget about that dream. Glancing at the time I realized it was just three hours until I had to be at work so I decided I might as well get ready and maybe work on the carport.

When I looked in the mirror later that morning before I left for work, I scowled as realized it looked like I hadn't slept at all last night. Every night the past few weeks I'd had the dreams of flying through the forest I looked like this. I threw some eyeliner on and put my hair up and hoped I wouldn't look too much like a zombie today.

We had a call this time, so I hopped in with the Vet and we headed out to go check up on some horses that were having some tough time and to administer some routine shots as well. I didn't realize where we were going until we stopped in the driveway of Peachwood. I snorted and looked to the vet. "And this is why you brought me today, isn't it?"

"But of course, I thought you'd love to see your old friends!" He sang, but I knew better. There was a certain Peruvian Pony that needed to be given shots to and he was only going to stand for me.

We hopped out and I was startled to see Jacob stride over with Troy in tow.

"Well hey there, stranger!" Jacob called out. While Troy gave me a friendly hug, Jacob didn't dare.

"Hi..." I said, still unsure about the man standing just a horse length away. "What's with the welcoming committee?" I questioned as I spied several other tall people standing off beside one of the corrals.

"They're just here to hang out." Troy shrugged her off. There was something he wasn't sharing, but I chose to ignore it.

"Alright….well I guess Joselito needs his shots?" I questioned, trailing behind the vet.

Jacob fell in step near me with a hop to his step. "Glad to see you seemed to have found your shirt." I coolly said.

"Heh, yeah." He chuckled, an arm going to the back of his head.

The four of us walked to the Peruvian Horse and I cooed to the chestnut gelding. His ears pricked and I felt a ripple through the air, _literally_. The hairs on my neck stood up as an electrical current seemed to flow through me. I felt bubbly for a moment, excited and curious. Then, another current swept through as Checkers threw his head over the door and nickered at me with a greeting. Suddenly, I was dizzy with all sorts of emotions rushing through my body and…and what..? I strained to hear.

 _I kn….you... two legger. Smell.. iar.._

"Wh-what?" I dizzily asked just before the feeling of falling swept through me.

I woke up on a couch in the intern building and I don't remember how I got there. My head was killing me and my chest felt like there was intense pressure. My whole body, really. It ached like I'd hiked up Half Dome. Not that I've hiked up it before, the closest thing I've hiked up is the steepest hills in San Francisco.

"Iris, you're okay!" Chelsea Clearwater's voice floated through the air in a calming manor. My eyes fluttered and I turned to her.

"Yeah, I think..." I muttered, pressing my hand to my forehead. "My head aches so badly." I whined as my other hand came to press against my face.

"Here, have some tea and I asked Troy to get an ice pack." She said, patting my back lightly. Just that alone made me flinch. "Oh, dear." She softly said as she noticed my flinch.

"Maybe I'm coming down with something." I said, a whine still in my voice. It was like the worst migraine I had ever had. "Where's Asher?"

"He's just finished up with Jose. The other horses have been seen to as well. He's giving you the day off." John Clearwater said upon walking over with the ice pack Troy was supposed to be bringing. "You gave us quite the scare. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"I'm alright, I think. I just hurt really badly. Like I'm achy."

"Ah, sounds like you are coming down with something."

"Maybe I'll just hole up in my house for a bit. I like that idea. Oh! But I have to call into the vet clinic!" I said, already trying to get up.

"Nonsense, you stay put. Asher will take care of the clinic and I'll take care of you until Troy can drive you when you feel better." Chelsea pointed her finger at me with a stern voice.

I wasn't very convinced, but my car was currently at the clinic and I'd have no choice. I eyed the older woman. It had been a while since I was here and she was only looking out for me.

"Alright." I grudgingly said and carefully lay back. "But only for the night. I need to get back and look after Bagheera."

I settled back down onto the couch. They really did care for me, after all. I wasn't sure what to do with it, but I really was grateful and appreciative. Jacob peeked in to check on me, he was quickly becoming something like an annoyance and a friend. An annoying friend, I guess.

And then there was this other thing I kept seeing when he came by. I kept seeing him as a wolf like a ghost image around his body and it was driving me insane. When morning came Troy and his girlfriend, Carlie, took me home where I holed up in my house for about a week.

I was aching for a good part of it and I swear I felt Bagheera's emotions. And…and thoughts. Not even joking.

The first morning it happened I was reading and bagheera was running around the house meowing, but his meows sounded very close to words. I sat there for a moment, staring at the words on the page and just listened. The more I tuned out myself and my surroundings, the more I focused on him I thought just maybe….

"Hooman, hooomaaan! Feed me. Hooman, my Miss, where are you! _Feed me_!" He demanded. I was somewhere between confused and wanting to laugh as he peaked in and meowed loudly. " _Feeeed_ me."

"Bagheera, you _have_ food, and it's not "Hooman", its _human_. And do you really call me your Miss?"

And then we stared at each other as his meows abruptly ceased. His tail flicked behind him and in a more serious voice he said, "You can understand me?"

He stood there for a moment longer and then hissed. "Miss! Why the _hell_ do we keep moving places! My god, two – legger, you drug me up _every time_."

I busted up laughing. I know I should have thought myself crazy, but my cat was talking to me and seriously who hasn't wanted their pet to talk to them? At least, I thought about it until I realized there was that one movie where this psychotic guy imagined his pets talking to him. _Oh, my god. Am I a psychotic killer?_ I glanced around. _Have I truly snapped?_

At any rate, Bagheera never stopped talking to me.


	4. Chapter 4

**Eh, how about another chapter? You guys would have had this one this week anyways had I not missed a week.**

* * *

The night before I went back to work, I felt myself having the dream again. I was racing with the wolves, I _was_ a wolf. I didn't thumb through the thoughts again, but instead just lightly touched them. It was a different wolf this time and not a part of the pack I had heard before. His voice was familiar, though, but I couldn't for the life of me pin point why it was so familiar.

 _Who are you?_ The voice prodded.

 _Who am I?_ I asked, as if to confirm what he'd asked.

 _Yes! Please!_

My sleepy self couldn't grasp an answer. I was so exhausted from these dreams and the aching feelings I had. This time when I'd closed my eyes I'd become so in tune with the nature and wolves I honestly couldn't remember.

 _Who am I? I..I don't know_

 _Surely you do, you invaded the Uley pack mind, Sam's mind. He felt you searching their minds._

 _He did? That's strange._ I tried to remember this "Sam" and searching his mind but all I drew was darkness and the drowsy feeling waiting in the darkness. If I followed, would I sleep for forever? Was that what I was doing before now?

The voice chuckled. Oddly, it was a familiar one, but I couldn't quite place it. _You're telling me, we've never had someone do that before. And we're pretty strange ourselves._

It was quiet, no other wolves were there. He was thinking. Thinking about a pale young woman with brown eyes and a fluttering heartbeat. He must have felt my question because when he spoke again, it was a name.

 _Nessie. She is my mate._ I felt the surge of love that rippled through the connection. I'd never felt such love before that it startled and scared me. I backed off, receding into blackness.

 _Come back! I didn't mean to scare you off. Please!_ He pleaded.

I was brought back by his searching voice. The pull of his mind and alpha command. I knew I could ignore it, but I didn't want to. I was afraid of the darkness. What was in it? Would I become nothing? What was I?

 _You're afraid, I can sense it. I don't know how though._

 _I am. I don't know what's beyond the darkness. I don't remember. Who am I?_

I felt myself being pulled deeper and deeper to the wolf. I felt every fiber of him. The wind in his fur seemed to become my own. I fell into the rhythm of his paw prints like they were my own fluid movements.

 _How can you not know who you are?_ He asked, curious evident. I felt him coming deeper into my thoughts and finding nothing but darkness.

And then, I felt a sharp bite, one that this wolf felt too. He yelped and whimpered as if my pain was his. The bite got harder and a yowl was heard. _Damn you Miss, WAKE UP_ , were the words that invaded my thoughts with a distinct yowling behind it. The yowling of a cat.

 _I know that voice!_ I said fading from the wolf I ran with. _I'm asleep? Am I…dreaming?_

Another bite had me jumping awake and clutching my arm with a scream. "Ow!" I shouted and threw something at Bagheera. "What the hell, Bagheera? I know you can talk, you get your ass back in here!" I called to him as he peaked around the corner.

 _You were losing yourself, I felt your scent leave. I felt you leave, Iris_. He whined, hesitantly coming closer, as if afraid I would disappear at any moment. He was shaking like a leaf.

"Oh Bagheera, I won't ever leave you. You are my everything." I assured the cat, bringing him close to me and hugged him to my chest. I stoked his back, letting my hands ruffle through his coat.

 _But…what happened?_

"I don't know. I don't know what's going on…but I know I did almost lose myself to that wolf. I thought…I thought I was dreaming but…I wasn't. He was a wolf."

The following morning I went to work with no incident. Well, except that I could hear and feel every animal within the clinic. "You _have_ to be kidding me." I groaned, pressing my head against the cool wall.

On the bright side, since I could understand them it made my job easier. I could ask them what was hurting, or listen to them in ways others couldn't. I decided that this was quite possibly the best thing that could ever happen to me. I excelled in my job and could understand the animals on a completely different level.

The downside was that I was utterly exhausted by the end of the day. I wanted nothing more but to curl up with bagheera and sleep. He was just about the only animal I could allow in my head without my head hurting after a period of time. I was quickly learning that somehow I would have to learn how to put a block on this new ability of mine.

Three weeks later I walked the trails without a horse. I just wanted peace, without animals. While I could still hear the wild ones, I found I could tune them out easier when they weren't up in my face or in my immediate vicinity. I took a deep breath and sat by the sea and just listened. That was the day I learned what I was doing in my dreams and how they weren't dreams at all. When I listened, I could envision myself drifting over the forests, but only so far. I could feel the life. Hearing a deer herd, I let myself slide over the forest to them. A mother dear was walking through the forest with her two fawns. Not too far away and a buck was following with another doe in tow. They were so peaceful looking. I tried to resist the urge to delve into their mind, but I was so curious. I touched each of their minds, but it was the last one that had me reeling and gasping for breath.

Something had hit the deer, not unlike a semi-truck, and seemed to knock the breath out of myself. I felt the singing bite, heard the growls, overwhelmed by the pure terror within.

"Iris! Iris, come back to me!" I heard Jacob's voice. But just then, everything clicked in a way that had my mind spinning. That voice was the wolf's voice. Was Jacob a wolf? I didn't want to believe that, and yet when I opened my eyes I saw the russet fur of a wolf for just a moment and I _knew._ I knew what he was. But I didn't say, I got the feeling it was supposed to be a secret.

I looked to a group of other boys, of wolves. Each one flashed with wolf within them. They were all shifters. So what was I, if I could see them all? If I could easily spy them out in such a way.

"Iris, are you alright? You were just sitting there and, and then you fell back gasping for air."

"I'm alright, I'm okay." I breathed, glancing over to one sandy brown wolf, or really just a young man who looked to be around my age – maybe. These boys were hard to pick out ages. My eyes drifted over them, not meeting their gaze at all as I tried to calm my reeling thoughts.

At hearing my voice, Jacob seemed to realize himself who I was. I saw recognition at my voice and then confusion. I looked to him and shook my head, I didn't want him telling anyone when I myself didn't even know what was happening. He smiled a sorrowful smile and pointed to his head.

Ah, yes, he couldn't keep secrets.

 _Well crap._

He offered a hand to help me stand and I gratefully took it, but ended up having to lean on him anyways. The spinning in my head made me feel dizzy and I muttered. "What the hell, were you guys _hunting_ that deer?"

My muttering wasn't quite enough, I saw the nervous glances they shared out of the corner of my eye. Jacob looked wary himself, unsure how to proceed. I didn't blame him.

"Now what?" He questioned.

I shrugged, "Hell if I know. Not like this happens to me every day." Well, it used to not.

He turned to the four standing by waiting for orders from Jacob. So, he was the alpha in all this. I turned to look at him too, he must have some idea.

"You guys finish the patrol, I have things I need to discuss with Iris." Was all he said and they turned and ran to the forest. They hadn't even shifted yet and I could see the faint look of the wolf shimmering around them, waiting to take over. I blinked at how oddly beautiful it was, to see man merge with beast and become one with the forest.

Reality was that the change looked quite gruesome, I'm sure. But from my eyes all I could see was the shadow of a wolf replacing the humans.

"So, you're the mysterious presence we sense in the forest." He stated, crossing his arms and staring expectantly down at me.

"Don't look at me like that!" I shouted, throwing my arms up in exasperation. "I have no clue what's going on. Ever since that day I collapsed I've been hearing animals and talking with them and having the _strangest_ flippin' dreams ever. Actually, the dreams came after I saw _you_." I stalked up the beach, sand flying as I attempted to walk fast through the sand. It's harder than it seems, I don't know how people run through it! My glare hardened as Jacob waltzed through the sand like it was nothing.

"How can you get in our minds like that?" He demanded. "Do you know how freaked out Sam was? How you just forced yourself into his mind without his say and just took over?"

"No!" I shouted, turning around on him. "Before I came here and met you, I'd just been a normal human. Maybe it's all your fault." I snarled at him. Not literally, thank god. If I grow fur and pop into a wolf I might just check myself into an asylum. Already I've been debating it. "Do you know how much I haven't slept? Because every time I close my eyes I seem to want to lose myself to the wolves or to whatever group of animal is running around."

He stopped himself and looked down at me in a more critical way. It wasn't the look of a guy "checking me out", he was literally looking over my well being. "I see that now. I'm sorry, Iris. I didn't mean to attack you like that, I'm just trying to figure out what's happening."

"You and me both." I sighed, my anger dissipating.

"Come one, let's go back to my place and we'll figure this out." He offered.


End file.
